What Sangha Means to Me

"Sangha" wasn't a word I was familiar with before Gracia Divina; but over the years, it's become every bit as important to me as la Abuela herself. One of the first things that began happening when I started attending circles was Grandma rearranging my friendships. Some people with whom I'd shared many important moments over the years, She just wasn't feeling. Others, who I barely knew, She encouraged I see more. And it's true, these days the majority of my deep friendships are people with whom I sit and sing regularly in circles. But that's not all we do: we also work side-by-side in our local community garden, we go see movies together, we share books, we travel together, we hike; they help me with childcare, and I'm (hopefully) there when they need me, too. Of course there's non-local Sangha, as well: I really cherish going to see my sweet extended Sangha in California, Colorado, Peru, and beyond. In the LGBTQ community, the concept of "families we choose" is often mentioned. To me, Sangha is much like that: profound, familial relationships with people who've seen us mourning our sorrows and reveling in our bliss. And they love us for all of it.